Isotope composition of NH3, NOx and SO2 air pollution in the Moravia-Silesian region, Czech Republic

The aim of this study is to compare the concentration and isotopic monitoring of sources of emission of NH3, NOx and SO2 in the industrial Moravia-Silesian region. We collected gases in tube-type passive samplers with acid and alkali treated filters during 2014-2015. The collected samples were measured for concentration and 15N and 34S isotopic composition. According to δ15N values (from 4 to −45‰), the NH3 pollution originates from the volatilization of ammonia from livestock (poultry) wastes with significant isotope fractionation during the winter. The NOx sources originate from vehicle emissions (δ15N from −8 to −2‰) in the summer, with the addition of fossil fuel combustion in the winter (δ15N from −5 to 20‰). The SO2 emissions are low in the summer (on average around 3 μg m−3) from local industrial sources (δ34S around −1.4‰ and more). An increase in winter (on average to about 12 μg m−3) is produced by trans-border transport from the Upper Silesian region of Poland (δ34S about −2.5‰).